Videos now available on our YouTube channel covering Dr. Rajagopal’s Alliance talk and Q&A.
It’s not every day that a Nobel Peace Prize (2018) nominee comes to BC.
So, it was, with great pride, that the BC Centre for Palliative Care, along with Victoria Hospice, hosted internationally acclaimed palliative care physician and Chairman of Pallium India, Dr. M.R. Rajagopal of Kerala, India, April 10-11, 2018.
During his two days in Vancouver and Victoria, thousands of British Columbians were exposed to his messages and keynote addresses around the value and importance of a palliative approach to care – Dr. Raj’s work in pain management and community engagement in palliative care in India has been recognized by the World Health Organization as a model project.
As well, an award-winning documentary film, Hippocratic: 18 Experiments in Gently Shaking the World, was publicly screened attracting more than 600 people. The film features the life and work of Dr. Raj in India, and his call for compassionate care among those suffering serious illness.
In Vancouver specifically, the BC Centre for Palliative Care hosted a dinner 
for Dr Raj and his wife, Chandrika, with health care and community leaders in BC. The dinner was followed by the public-showing of Hippocratic which was attended by 313 people.
The Centre also hosted a breakfast meeting attended by 27 key BC community, health-care partners and interested stakeholders. Participants heard Dr. Raj give a keynote presentation on palliative care work being done in India. He emphasized the need to transform the health-care system to include a palliative approach to care for those with serious illnesses, and empower communities to help with the non-medical aspects of care.
Those in attendance made a commitment to work together to launch an official Compassionate Care Alliance in BC.
Representatives from the following key organizations participated:
ALS Society of BC
Alzheimer Society of BC
BC Care Providers
BC Centre for Palliative Care
BC Hospice Palliative Care Association
BC Lung Association
Canadian Cancer Society
Fraser Health Authority
Huntington Society of Canada
Parkinson Society of BC
Patient Voices Network
Paul Sugar Foundation
Providence Health Care — Holy Family Hospital
Simon Fraser University
UBC Hospital
University of Athabasca
University of British Columbia
Vancouver Coastal Health
Vancouver General Hospital
Victoria Hospice
Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Yaletown House
Key Media Coverage:
- CBC Radio – Early Edition
- Omni TV
- Breakfast Television
- Georgia Straight
- Drishti Magazine
- South Asian Woman
- Spice Radio
If you would like more information about the Compassionate Care Alliance, please contact office@bc-cpc.ca
